Recognition and enforcement of foreign judgments in Mexico

Yes. The appointed Mexican judge has to previously review the legality and origin of the documentation provided by the interested party in order to recognize the exequatur procedure.  Recognition of foreign judgements does not take place automatically; hence, said judgments must comply with the conditions and formalities required under Mexican Law and the Civil Procedure Code (Código Federal de Procedimientos Civiles) (“CPC”), (i.e. jurisdiction of the judge, res judicata, proof that the defendant was properly deployed and that the foreign judgment is not contrary to the public order in Mexico).

Additionally, the request for a Mexican judge to recognize a foreign judgment shall be accompanied by the following documents:

1. Copy of the foreign judgment properly translated into Spanish.
2. Copy of the proof that the defendant was properly deployed.
3. Documentation that attests that the subject of the foreign judgment is res judicata.
4. Documentation that confirms that the executor has provided as the notification address the homologation court.

In Mexico, there is an exception where the exequatur procedure will not be applicable. The judge can excuse himself from executing the foreign judgment if it is proven that the county of origin of the judgment does not execute judgments in analogous cases.

2.1 Recognition in general civil matters

Article 569 of the CPC.- Judgments, private arbitration awards of a non-commercial nature, and other foreign jurisdictional resolutions shall be effective and recognized in the Republic in all that is not contrary to internal public order under the terms of this code and other applicable laws, except otherwise provided by the treaties and conventions to which Mexico is a party.	Artículo 569 del CFPC.- Las sentencias, los laudos arbitrales privados de carácter no comercial y demás resoluciones jurisdiccionales extranjeros tendrán eficacia y serán reconocidos en la República en todo lo que no sea contrario al orden público interno en los términos de este código y demás leyes aplicables, salvo lo dispuesto por los tratados y convenciones de los que México sea parte.
In the case of judgments, awards or court decisions that are only going to be used as evidence before Mexican courts, it will be sufficient that they meet the necessary requirements to be considered authentic.	Tratándose de sentencias, laudos o resoluciones jurisdiccionales que sólo vayan a utilizarse como prueba ante tribunales mexicanos, será suficiente que los mismos llenen los requisitos necesarios para ser considerados como auténticos.
The effects that judgements, private non-commercial arbitration awards and foreign jurisdictional resolutions produce in the national territory will be governed by the provisions of the Civil Code, the Civil Procedure Code and other applicable laws.	Los efectos que las sentencias, laudos arbitrales privados de carácter no comercial y resoluciones jurisdiccionales extranjeros produzcan en el territorio nacional, estarán regidos por lo dispuesto en el Código Civil, por este código y demás leyes aplicables.
Article 570 of the CPC.- Judgments, private arbitration awards of a non-commercial nature, and foreign court decisions shall be enforced in the Republic, by means of homologation under the terms of this code and other applicable laws, except for the provisions of treaties and conventions to which Mexico is a party.	Artículo 570 del CFPC.- Las sentencias, laudos arbitrales privados de carácter no comercial y resoluciones jurisdiccionales extranjeros se cumplirán coactivamente en la República, mediante homologación en los términos de este código y demás leyes aplicables, salvo lo dispuesto por los tratados y convenciones de los que México sea parte.

2.2 Enforcement in civil matters

Article. 571 of the CPC.- Judgments, private arbitration awards of a non-commercial nature, and court decisions handed down abroad may be enforceable if they meet the following conditions:	Artículo. 571 del CFPC.- Las sentencias, laudos arbitrales privados de carácter no comercial y resoluciones jurisdiccionales dictados en el extranjero, podrán tener fuerza de ejecución si cumplen con las siguientes condiciones:
I. The formalities provided for in this Code in respect of rogatory letters from abroad have been complied with; II. They have not been issued as a result of the exercise of an action regarding property rights; III. The judge or sentencing court has had jurisdiction to hear and determine the case in accordance with internationally recognized rules that are compatible with those adopted in this Code; IV. That the defendant has been personally served with notice or summonsed in order to ensure that the defendant is guaranteed a hearing and the exercise of defenses; V. They are final in the country in which they were issued, or there is no ordinary appeal against them; VI. That the action that gave rise to them is not a matter of a trial pending between the same parties before Mexican courts and in which the Mexican court would have warned, or at least that the letter rogatory to summon them has been processed and delivered to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs or to the authorities of the State where the summons is to be served. The same rule shall apply when a final judgment has been issued; VII. That the obligation for the fulfilment of which the summons has been issued is not contrary to public order in Mexico; and VIII. That they meet the requirements to be considered authentic.	I. Que se hayan satisfecho las formalidades previstas en este código en materia de exhortos provenientes del extranjero; II. Que no hayan sido dictados como consecuencia del ejercicio de una acción real; III. Que el juez o tribunal sentenciador haya tenido competencia para conocer y juzgar el asunto de acuerdo con las reglas reconocidas en la esfera internacional que sean compatibles con las adoptadas por este código; IV. Que el demandado haya sido notificado o emplazado en forma personal a efecto de asegurarle la garantía de audiencia y el ejercicio de sus defensas; V. Que tengan el carácter de cosa juzgada en el país en que fueron dictados, o que no exista recurso ordinario en su contra; VI. Que la acción que les dio origen no sea materia de juicio que esté pendiente entre las mismas partes ante tribunales mexicanos y en el cual hubiere prevenido el tribunal mexicano o cuando menos que el exhorto o carta rogatoria para emplazar hubieren sido tramitados y entregados a la Secretaría de Relaciones Exteriores o a las autoridades del Estado donde deba practicarse el emplazamiento. La misma regla se aplicará cuando se hubiera dictado sentencia definitiva; VII. Que la obligación para cuyo cumplimiento se haya procedido no sea contraria al orden público en México; y VIII. Que llenen los requisitos para ser considerados como auténticos.
Article. 571 of the CPC.- The request of the Judge or the soliciting court shall be accompanied by the following documentation: I.- Copy of the judgment, award or jurisdictional resolution; II.- Copy of the records to prove that conditions established in paragraph IV and V of the abovementioned article were fulfilled. III.- Spanish translations that might be necessary. IV.- That the executor has provided as the notification address the homologation court.	Artículo. 571 del CFPC.- El exhorto del Juez o tribunal requirente deberá acompañarse de la siguiente documentación: I.- Copia auténtica de la sentencia, laudo o resolución jurisdiccional; II.- Copia auténtica de las constancias que acrediten que se cumplió con las condiciones previstas en las fracciones IV y V del artículo anterior; III.- Las traducciones al idioma español que sean necesarias al efecto; y IV.- Que el ejecutante haya señalado domicilio para oír notificaciones en el lugar del tribunal de la homologación.

2.3 Special civil matters

Article. 576 of the CPC.- All matters related to seizure, confiscation, deposit, appraisal, auction and others related to the liquidation and coercive execution of the judgement issued by a foreign court, will be resolved by the homologation court. The distribution of the funds resulting from the auction shall be at the disposal of the foreign judge.	Artículo. 576 del CFPC.- Todas las cuestiones relativas a embargo, secuestro, depositaría, avalúo, remate y demás relacionadas con la liquidación y ejecución coactiva de sentencia dictada por tribunal extranjero, serán resueltas por el tribunal de la homologación. La distribución de los fondos resultantes del remate quedará a disposición del juez sentenciador extranjero.
Article. 577 of the CPC.- If a foreign judgement, award or court decision cannot be fully effective, the court may admit its partial effectiveness at the request of an interested party.	Artículo. 577 del CFPC.- Si una sentencia, laudo o resolución jurisdiccional extranjera no pudiera tener eficacia en su totalidad, el tribunal podrá admitir su eficacia parcial a petición de parte interesada.

2.4  Special cases of foreign recognition

Special provisions will be applicable to insolvency proceedings. Title Twelfth, of the Mexican Insolvency Law (Ley de Concusrsos Mercantiles) is applicable in such cases. 

2.5 Arbitral awards

Second Transitory of the CPC.- The provisions of this Law shall apply to arbitration proceedings of a commercial nature in progress, as well as to the recognition and enforcement of commercial arbitration awards, unless otherwise agreed by the parties.

Transitorio Segundo del CFPC.- Lo establecido en el presente decreto se aplicará a los procedimientos arbitrales de carácter comercial en trámite, así como al reconocimiento y a la ejecución de los laudos arbitrales comerciales, salvo acuerdo en contrario de las partes.

Moreover, Mexico is a member of several international Conventions on the recognition of foreign arbitral awards, such as:

1. the Inter-American Convention on Jurisdiction in the International Area for the Extraterritorial Effectiveness of Foreign Judgments (Convención Interamericana sobre Competencia en la Esfera Internacional para la Eficacia Extraterritorial de las Sentencias Extranjeras) (La Paz Convention);
2. the Inter-American Convention on the Extraterritorial Effectiveness of Foreign Judgments and Arbitral Awards (la Convención Interamericana sobre Eficacia Extraterritorial de las Sentencias y Laudos Arbitrales Extranjeros) (Montevideo Convention);
3. Convention on the Recognition and Enforcement of Foreign Arbitral Awards, (Convención sobre el Reconocimiento y la Ejecución de las Sentencias Arbitrales Extranjeras) (New York Convention).

Mexico does not use a common law system; therefore, judicial precedents are not applicable. Notwithstanding, the forgoing court decisions play an important role since the interpretation to recognize or deny a foreign judgment can be taken under consideration for future cases.

No. According to the Civil Procedure Code, the foreign judgment shall comply with the exequatur procedure in Mexico and then, it will be recognized and will become enforceable. Article 575 of the Civil Procedure Code clearly establishes that in order to recognize and enforce an exequatur procedure the Mexican judge must:

1. limit himself to examine the authenticity of the judgment and
2. review if the judgement should be executed according to provisions established in Mexican law.

The judge must not examine nor decide on the justice or injustice of the judgment; hence, there is no review of merits.

The timeframe to recognize foreign judgments depends on each case. On average an Exequatur procedure will take from 6 to 12 months.

Yes. Pursuant to Article 574 Civil Procedure Code, the opponent has a 9-day period to present defenses and to exercise corresponding rights in order to challenge the Exequatur.